Time-aware Multiway Adaptive Fusion Network for Temporal Knowledge Graph Question Answering

Knowledge graphs (KGs) have received increasing attention due to its wide applications on natural language processing. However, its use case on temporal question answering (QA) has not been well-explored. Most of existing methods are developed based on pre-trained language models, which might not be capable to learn \emph{temporal-specific} presentations of entities in terms of temporal KGQA task. To alleviate this problem, we propose a novel \textbf{T}ime-aware \textbf{M}ultiway \textbf{A}daptive (\textbf{TMA}) fusion network. Inspired by the step-by-step reasoning behavior of humans. For each given question, TMA first extracts the relevant concepts from the KG, and then feeds them into a multiway adaptive module to produce a \emph{temporal-specific} representation of the question. This representation can be incorporated with the pre-trained KG embedding to generate the final prediction. Empirical results verify that the proposed model achieves better performance than the state-of-the-art models in the benchmark dataset. Notably, the Hits@1 and Hits@10 results of TMA on the CronQuestions dataset's complex questions are absolutely improved by 24\% and 10\% compared to the best-performing baseline. Furthermore, we also show that TMA employing an adaptive fusion mechanism can provide interpretability by analyzing the proportion of information in question representations.Comment: ICASSP 202

Color-gradient lattice Boltzmann modeling of immiscible two-phase flows on partially wetting surface

A zero-interfacial-force condition is derived and implemented to improve the wetting boundary scheme for a lattice Boltzmann color-gradient model. This new wetting boundary scheme is validated by two static problems, i.e. a droplet resting on a flat surface and a cylindrical surface, and one dynamic problem, i.e. the capillary filling in a 2 dimensional (2D) channel. In these simulations, we observe that non-physical mass transfer is suppressed and spurious velocities become smaller. Meanwhile, accurate results including dynamic contact line movement are achieved on a broad range of contact angles. The model is then applied to study displacement of immiscible fluids in a 2D channel. Both the displacement velocity and the change rate of finger length are found to exhibit a linear dependence on the contact angle at the viscosity ratio of unity. The displacement velocity decreases but the change rate of finger length increases with increasing capillary number, while the displacement velocity tends to be constant, i.e. two-third of the maximum inlet velocity, at high viscosity ratios or low capillary numbers. In contrast to the displacement velocity, the change rate of finger length is negligible at high viscosity ratios or low capillary numbers, where the finger length is in an equilibrium state, while the equilibrium finger length itself is smaller at a higher viscosity ratio or a lower capillary number

A versatile lattice Boltzmann model for immiscible ternary fluid flows

We propose a lattice Boltzmann color-gradient model for immiscible ternary fluid flows, which is applicable to the fluids with a full range of interfacial tensions, especially in near-critical and critical states. An interfacial force for N-phase systems is derived and then introduced into the model using a body force scheme, which helps reduce spurious velocities. A generalized recoloring algorithm is applied to produce phase segregation and ensure immiscibility of three different fluids, where an enhanced form of segregation parameters is derived by considering the existence of Neumann's triangle and the effect of the equilibrium contact angle in a three-phase junction. The proposed model is first validated by two typical examples, namely, the Young-Laplace test for a compound droplet and the spreading of a droplet between two stratified fluids. It is then used to study the structure and stability of double droplets in a static matrix. Consistent with the theoretical stability diagram, seven possible equilibrium morphologies are successfully reproduced by adjusting the interfacial tension ratio. By simulating near-critical and critical states of double droplets where the outcomes are very sensitive to the model accuracy, we show that the present model is advantageous to three-phase flow simulations and allows for accurate simulation of near-critical and critical states. Finally, we investigate the influence of interfacial tension ratio on the behavior of a compound droplet in a three-dimensional shear flow, and four different deformation and breakup modes are observed

Cathelicidin preserves intestinal barrier function in polymicrobial sepsis.

ObjectivesThe intestinal epithelium compartmentalizes the sterile bloodstream and the commensal bacteria in the gut. Accumulating evidence suggests that this barrier is impaired in sepsis, aggravating systemic inflammation. Previous studies reported that cathelicidin is differentially expressed in various tissues in sepsis. However, its role in sepsis-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction has not been investigated.DesignTo examine the role of cathelicidin in polymicrobial sepsis, cathelicidin wild-(Cnlp+/+) and knockout (Cnlp-/-) mice underwent cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) followed by the assessment of septic mortality and morbidity as well as histological, biochemical, immunological, and transcriptomic analyses in the ileal tissues. We also evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacies of vitamin D3 (an inducer of endogenous cathelicidin) in the CLP-induced murine polymicrobial sepsis model.ResultsThe ileal expression of cathelicidin was increased by three-fold after CLP, peaking at 4 h. Knockout of Cnlp significantly increased 7-day mortality and was associated with a higher murine sepsis score. Alcian-blue staining revealed a reduced number of mucin-positive goblet cells, accompanied by reduced mucin expression. Increased number of apoptotic cells and cleavage of caspase-3 were observed. Cnlp deletion increased intestinal permeability to 4kD fluorescein-labeled dextran and reduced the expression of tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin. Notably, circulating bacterial DNA load increased more than two-fold. Transcriptome analysis revealed upregulation of cytokine/inflammatory pathway. Depletion of Cnlp induced more M1 macrophages and neutrophils compared with the wild-type mice after CLP. Mice pre-treated with cholecalciferol (an inactive form of vitamin D3) or treated with 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (an active form of VD3) had decreased 7-day mortality and significantly less severe symptoms. Intriguingly, the administration of cholecalciferol after CLP led to worsened 7-day mortality and the associated symptoms.ConclusionsEndogenous cathelicidin promotes intestinal barrier integrity accompanied by modulating the infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages in polymicrobial sepsis. Our data suggested that 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 but not cholecalciferol is a potential therapeutic agent for treating sepsis

Support Vector Machine for Analyzing Contributions of Brain Regions During Task-State fMRI

The mainstream method used for the analysis of task functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data, is to obtain task-related active brain regions based on generalized linear models. Machine learning as a data-driven technical method is increasingly used in fMRI data analysis. The language task data, including math task and story task, of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) was used in this work. We chose a linear support vector machine as a classifier to classify math and story tasks and compared them with the activated brain regions of a SPM statistical analysis. As a result, 13 of the 25 regions used for classification in SVM were activated regions, and 12 were non-activated regions. In particular, the right Paracentral Lobule and right Rolandic Operculum which belong to non-activated regions, contributed most to the classification. Therefore, the differences found in machine learning can provide a new understanding of the physiological mechanisms of brain regions under different tasks

3D genome architecture coordinates trans and cis regulation of differentially expressed ear and tassel genes in maize.

BACKGROUND: Maize ears and tassels are two separate types of inflorescence which are initiated by similar developmental processes but gradually develop distinct architectures. However, coordinated trans and cis regulation of differentially expressed genes determining ear and tassel architecture within the 3D genome context is largely unknown. RESULTS: We identify 56,055 and 52,633 open chromatin regions (OCRs) in developing maize ear and tassel primordia using ATAC-seq and characterize combinatorial epigenome features around these OCRs using ChIP-seq, Bisulfite-seq, and RNA-seq datasets. Our integrative analysis of coordinated epigenetic modification and transcription factor binding to OCRs highlights the cis and trans regulation of differentially expressed genes in ear and tassel controlling inflorescence architecture. We further systematically map chromatin interactions at high-resolution in corresponding tissues using in situ digestion-ligation-only Hi-C (DLO Hi-C). The extensive chromatin loops connecting OCRs and genes provide a 3D view on cis- and trans-regulatory modules responsible for ear- and tassel-specific gene expression. We find that intergenic SNPs tend to locate in distal OCRs, and our chromatin interaction maps provide a potential mechanism for trait-associated intergenic SNPs that may contribute to phenotypic variation by influencing target gene expression through chromatin loops. CONCLUSIONS: Our comprehensive epigenome annotations and 3D genome maps serve as valuable resource and provide a deep understanding of the complex regulatory mechanisms of genes underlying developmental and morphological diversities between maize ear and tassel

Dissecting the effects of METTL3 on alternative splicing in prostate cancer

Although the role of METTL3 has been extensively studied in many cancers, its role in isoform switching in prostate cancer (PCa) has been poorly explored. To investigate its role, we applied standard RNA-sequencing and long-read direct RNA-sequencing from Oxford Nanopore to examine how METTL3 affects alternative splicing (AS) in two PCa cell lines. By dissecting genome-wide METTL3-regulated AS events, we noted that two PCa cell lines (representing two different PCa subtypes, androgen-sensitive or resistant) behave differently in exon skipping and intron retention events following METTL3 depletion, suggesting AS heterogeneity in PCa. Moreover, we revealed that METTL3-regulated AS is dependent on N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and distinct splicing factors. Analysis of the AS landscape also revealed cell type specific AS signatures for some genes (e.g., MKNK2) involved in key functions in PCa tumorigenesis. Finally, we also validated the clinical relevance of MKNK2 AS events in PCa patients and pointed to the possible regulatory mechanism related to m6A in the exon14a/b region and SRSF1. Overall, we characterize the role of METTL3 in regulating PCa-associated AS programs, expand the role of METTL3 in tumorigenesis, and suggest that MKNK2 AS events may serve as a new potential prognostic biomarker